As I mentioned yesterday, my brother and I were discussing the greatest American songwriter. He settled on Paul Simon while I thought Bob Dylan. We both agreed that, in our opinions, the greatest songwriter of our time was John Lennon. Wifey, said that Sir Paul McCartney is a better songwriter. To which both my brother and I replied (almost in unison); “silly little love songs”.
Look at the list of songs John has either written or co-written, mostly with Sir Paul as a member of the Beatles. The lists are quite long. And today, 9 October, just happens to be his birthday. He would have been 79 today.
Some of my favorites (in no particular order);
- Dear Prudence
- And Your Bird Can Sing
- Baby’s In Black
- Day Tripper
- Rain
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – my brother doesn’t care for the song due to the political aspects. I like it since Christmas doesn’t start until I hear this played.
- Fame (Yes, the David Bowie song)
- The Ballad of John and Yoko
I could go on and on. But the lists are linked above if you wish to check them out. The video below is just a representative sample of John’s talent. It’s a Lennon-McCartney written piece, and showcases George Harrison on guitar. This track, along with Day Tripper are the guitar riffs I hear in my head all the time.
Enjoy!
Peace,
B